Temple.
For
different cultures, the title has different meanings. It could mean
ancient, majestic, Steadfast, sacred, close, special or gateway to
God.
To
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is the
pinnacle of the faith.
It
is everything above and more.
Temples
Vs. Chaples
Some
people are confused on the difference of Mormon Temples as opposed to
chapels or meeting houses.
Here’s
the difference:
A
chapel
is a place where both members and non-members can learn about the
gospel, take the sacrament, and socialize. It is open to the general
public.
A
temple is
is a place where worthy members come to make greater covenants with
God and involves rituals that increase learning. It is not open to
the general public.
While
the restriction sounds secretive and even snobbish, the temple is a
dedicated house of the Lord; it is a place set apart from all the
troubles and filthiness of the world.
If
it were not, NO ONE would be able to enjoy the full and real peace
the temple has to offer as the spirit would be refrained to do so.
However
its standards, however, all are invited to become worthy enough to
come into such dedicated building.
History
Temples
are not a new concept. For instance, the Garden of Eden could have
been considered a temple in the idea that man talked to God face to
face.
When
Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, one of the first things
they did [as far as modern revelation gives] was that they built a
alter to God. From that,
they first learned of the Atonement of Christ who would come to save
all of mankind.
Through
out the scriptures are references made to prophets building alters on
high mountains including those by Abraham,
Jacob,
and Moses.
As
far as the scriptures show, the first man-made temple dedicated to
God was constructed right after the Israelites left Egypt. It was
called the Tabernacle.
The
Tabernacle [as it was called] was a large tent, and was built with an
outer courtyard, and two rooms. Each area had several artifacts that
pointed toward the atonement of Christ, and each section represented
a “step”/kingdom that led to God’s presence.
Temples
from that point onward followed the same general layout as reflected,
including the temple of Solomon,
Zerubbabel
[made after Israel could return home to Jerusalem] and Herod.
Christ
Himself gave some of the most valuable lessons
in the temple throughout his life.
On two separate occasions He even cleansed the temple of money
changers for desecrating the Lord’s sacred edifice.
Although
the same temple that Christ had taught in is now long gone, our need
for a sacred refuge has not.
Temples
take many forms, but the Lord has always asked that man build Him a
house on earth.
Function
Here are some of the things done in the temple:
Baptism
for the dead: This
does not mean we grave rob and dunk the bodies [that’s just nasty].
Mormons believe that baptism is essential, and as it is worthy kids
around 12 and up can stand in the place of a deceased person and get
baptized. Like other ordinances, baptism for the dead can be done
solely proxy{ {meaning
“someone else taking the place of another”]
Endowment:
The
endowment is a ritual that teaches about the creation, the fall, and
the eternal effects of the atonement. Like the temple of Old, it
takes place in stages to “rise” and teach the participants to
prepare to met God in a celestial sphere for increased learning and
understanding.
Sealing:
God
never intended families to be together “till’ death do you part”.
The sealing is an ordinance an marital binding to bring families
together even far beyond death and into the eternities.
It
takes place after the endowment and is perhaps the most sacred of all
the ordinances performed in the temple.
Unfortunately,
this is all that can be said concerning these rituals.
Keeping
such rituals sacred protect
those who are not yet ready and those who are held accountable to the
covenants they make.
Perhaps,
one day will many, many more of God’s children be ready to know
more of God’s love even more then they do now, both the living and
the dead.
